The 12-member Democratic Caucus in the Texas Senate is urging Lt. Gov. David Dewurst to add an interim charge that allows state lawmakers to study gender pay equality within state agencies. Dewhurst indicated he would consider setting up a Senate investigation.

The request for an investigation is in response to recent news that men and women with the same job title at the Texas attorney general’s office have an estimated $6,000 salary gap.

The letter from the caucus stated:

“There should be no controversy with the proposition that people deserve equal pay for doing the same job.”

"It really got some of us thinking that it’s time for state government to just take a look at the entire area of employment and make sure all employees are being treated fairly for work they are doing alongside their counterparts," said state Sen. Sylvia Garcia of Houston.

Garcia said she was encouraged by Dewhurst's response to their letter, which stated that he would give consideration to an official Senate investigation into the pay inequities at the attorney general’s office.

“But I think we could do more," Garcia said. "I think this would really look at all of it and give us a roadmap so that we can make the right legislative fixes come this next session.”

In the past Dewhurst has stressed the importance of the issue and the fact that he was raised by a single working mother.